1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the restraint of cargo that is loaded in the cargo box of a pick-up truck and specifically addresses a novel device that attaches at various positions to mid along the side rail of the cargo box and functions as an anchor for a cargo restraining apparatus. In the past, there have been many mechanisms that have been used to restrain the movement of pick-up track cargo, all of which require attachment to the truck body. Some of the pick-up trucks currently in production have tie-down hoops welded or bolted to the cargo box frame at the comers mid to which lines, cords mid the like can be attached for restraining cargo. Other trucks are manufactured with holes of various shapes and sizes that serve as locations for tie-downs or other accessory attachment anchors. Many of the older pick-up truck models have no means for restraining cargo other than the cargo box walls and tail gate. None of the pick-up trucks provide for a means of attaching an accessory at locations other than pre-determined positions. The most common solution to this problem is the drilling of holes in the body of the truck to attach a device at a needed position. Although a number of clamp mechanisms have been invented that attach to the side rails, each has limited utility because of either narrow design objectives or design deficiencies. The present invention solves the problem by providing a simple, anchor device that attaches to the side rail of a pick-up track by the use of both mechanical barriers and a clamping force. The anchor device can be positioned at various locations along the side rail, will fit a variety of side rail sizes, and can accommodate a variety of different types of cargo restraints and/or accessories.
2. Description of Prior Art
Rasmussen (U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,570) discloses a tie down assembly for use in securing an object to the cargo area of a pick up truck that is representative of a number of devices in that it requires the drilling of holes in the truck body for attachment of the tie down assembly. St. Pierre et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,311) and Porter (U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,991) disclose tie down devices that fit in stake holes of pick-up truck side walls and are representative of those that use stake holes as the point of attachment. Millas (U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,770) discloses a side rail tie down anchor for pick-up trucks that can be positioned at a variety of fore and aft positions along the side rail by means of a clamp mechanism that clamps to the top of the side rail, but that has limited utility for other than a tie down device. Love (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,131,780 and 5,228,739) and Yoder (U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,963) disclose clamps that attach a flat plate to the top of the side rail of a pick-up truck mid provide a means of attachment for truck bed caps. Wagner (U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,229) discloses two brackets that form a clamp for fastening a truck bed liner to the top in-board flange of a pick-up truck side rail. Lowrey (U.S. Pat. No. 2,182,480), Schenk (U.S. Pat. No. 1,834,183) and Pflieger (U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,431) disclose clamp mechanisms that utilize two members pulled together by a screw with the members joining at one end by a tongue & groove arrangement and the other end comprising the jaw of the clamp. Harrison (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,685,646 and 4,760,986) discloses a mount for pick-up trucks that utilizes a clamp that attaches to the inboard flange of a cargo bed side rail; however, the mount is complex and utilizes a variety of additional brackets and various shapes for the inboard piece of the clamp to mount objects to it.